a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an endoscope for introduction into a hollow organ of a living thing, the endoscope comprising a hollow outer shaft and an optical system arranged therein.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Endoscopy of the interior of hollow organs of humans and animals is often made difficult due to the fact that the hollow organs easily evade the observation instrument because of their great flexibility. It is often not possible to achieve sufficient distance between endoscope optical systems and the region of the hollow organ to be investigated because of this great flexibility, so that it is not possible to achieve a sharp picture. This also means that there is hardly any space to operate instruments. Furthermore, it is often necessary, for example when there are pathological changes in the hollow organs, to measure the space which still remains, for example for tubular organs the free passage, in order to be able to carry out appropriate treatment measures.
A hysteroscope, which is designed to expand the uterus with gas and then to maintain this state with the aid of mechanically operating spreading elements and to be able to allow the gas to escape, is known from German Patentschrift 2 318 860. This hysteroscope essentially comprises an adapter serving to seal the uterus, an instrument shaft, through which an optical system can be introduced and which has a gas connection. Spreading elements, which can be brought to rest against wall regions of the uterus, are provided at the distal end of the endoscope to maintain the spread state. The arrangement and shape of the spreading elements thus determine the extent to which the uterus can be kept clear. A certain stabilisation of the tissue can thus be achieved, but no fixing of the hollow organ in the real sense.
Finally, a device for use in connection with catheters, for example for wound drainage, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,151, by means of which the object of being able to arrange this device in the interior of the body of a living thing is to be fulfilled, such that the device once positioned cannot be released accidentally. The device therefore essentially comprises two coaxially arranged sleeves which can be displaced relative to one another and gripping fingers which can be driven out of the distal end of the outer sleeve, and a fixing collar which can be displaced on the outer sleeve. After introducing this device into a wound or into a body cavity, for example the stomach of a cow, the gripping fingers are driven out of the distal end. The gripping fingers are thus spread outwards in the radial direction and are placed, in this example, against the stomach wall. The fixing collar on the outer sleeve is then pushed towards the distal end until it contacts, for example the skin, and is fixed there. The whole of the device is thus secured against falling out of the body and/or falling into the body cavity accidentally. A reference to use for fixing hollow organs is not to be found in this specification.
As far as measuring hollow organs is concerned, reference may be made to German Patentschrift 3 330 921, which describes a probe without an optical system to determine the size of the interior of hollow organs, in particular the uterine cavity. In this instrument, two sensors which can be spread apart from one another and are provided on the distal end of the probe are spread open by axially displacing a rod-like transfer member until it contacts the inner wall of the hollow organ. An indicator, for example a dial gauge, from which the measured result can be read, is arranged on the proximal end of this probe. This device is also not able to avoid the evasive movement of the hollow organ to be treated during treatment.
It is therefore the object of the invention to improve an endoscope of the type mentioned in the introduction, so that it is possible to pull hollow organs against an outer, more solid structure and to be able to fix them thereto, for examining, measuring and treating such hollow organs of living things.